A Scottish health survey carried out in 2015 discovered that the number of vapers has increased to 7% of the Scottish population from 5% in 2014, whilst the number of smokers has dropped to 21% as opposed to 28% in 2003.

These data come to reinforce those recently published in England where smokers have also dropped to 16.9% and e-cigarette gained in popularity among quitters. The good results obtained in the UK are a demonstration that public health policies are successful in lowering smoking and to encourage smokers making use of alternative tobacco products.

In Scotland the amount of cigarettes that the average smoker smokes per day has also dropped, to 12.6 from 15.3 in 2013, and it was found that 22 to 26 percent of people who tried vaping were people aged between 16 to 34.

The number of vapers has increased to 7% whilst the number of smokers has dropped to 21%.

100,000 deaths per year are attributed to smoking in Scotland, that’s about a fifth of the population, whilst the World Health Organization has pointed out that smoking kills about 6 million a year. Additionally the habit decreases a smoker’s quality of life by causing several preventable poor health conditions.

On another positive note, the number of children exposed to secondhand smoke has dropped from 11% to 6% in a year, meeting the target that the Scottish Government had suggested, five years earlier than hoped for. Public health minister Aileen Campbell released a statement saying “It’s tremendous news that we’ve seen such a dramatic reduction in the number of children exposed to secondhand smoke in the home – meeting our target five years ahead of time.”

Promising figures for a brighter future

Members of ASH Scotland, an anti smoking organization are very pleased with the figures,and chief executive Sheila Duffy said that this drop is extremely good news for Scotland, whilst commending the Scottish government for having placed an importance on children’s exposure to smoke.“Efforts like the Take it Right Outside campaign are clearly having an impact and informing people.” she stated approvingly.